52004XC0330(01)

Imposition of a public service obligation pursuant to Council Regulation (EEC) No 2408/92 for scheduled air services within Germany

(2004/C 79/02)

1. Pursuant to Article 4(1)(a) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 2408/92 of 23 July 1992 on access for Community air carriers to intra-Community air routes, the German Government has decided to impose a public service obligation in respect of scheduled air services on the Rostock-Laage-Munich and Rostock-Laage-Cologne/Bonn routes with effect from 1 July 2004.

2. The public service obligation is as follows:

Frequency, flight times and slots

A regular air service providing two round trips to Munich and one round trip to Cologne/Bonn daily from Monday to Friday must be provided. Arrival times in Munich should be before 8.00 and at approximately 17.30; return flights to Rostock-Laage should depart before 9.00 and at approximately 18.30. The round trip from/to Cologne/Bonn should operate between 11.00 and 15.00. This requirement applies throughout the year, although a limited service can be provided between Christmas and the New Year. One daily round trip on each route is sufficient on Sundays and public holidays.

An application for the corresponding slots has been made to the competent authority in accordance with Article 9(1) of Council Regulation (EEC) No 95/93 of 18 January 1993.

Capacity

Aircraft having at least 30 passenger seats must be used for the flights involved.

Aircraft types

The aircraft type used should have a turboprop or jet engine and a pressurised cabin. Flights must be carried out in accordance with instrument flight rules.

Fares

The maximum basic fare for a single flight may not exceed EUR 250 (final consumer price) from Rostock-Laage to Munich and EUR 200 (final consumer price) from Rostock-Laage to Cologne/Bonn.

Reservations

It should be possible to book flights via at least one international reservation system (CRS) and on the Internet.

Continuity of air services

The number of flights cancelled for reasons that can be directly attributed to the air carrier may not exceed 2 % of the planned annual number of flights.

3. The attention of Community air carriers is drawn to the following: if on 1 June 2004 no air carrier has submitted to the Ministry of Economic Affairs of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania written proof of commencement of scheduled air services with effect from 1 July 2004 in accordance with the public service obligation imposed and without requesting compensation, Germany will, under the procedure laid down in Article 4(1)(d) of the abovementioned Regulation, limit access on one or both routes to a single air carrier and put out the right to operate such services from 1 July 2004 to public tender.

An invitation to tender for these services pursuant to Article 4(1)(d) will shortly be published in the Official Journal of the European Union.

Further information can be obtained from: Wirtschaftsministerium Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Johannes-Stelling-Straße 14 D - 19053 Schwerin Tel. (49-385) 588 55 10 Fax (49-385) 588 58 65